ice saints

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English

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Etymology

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Perhaps a calque of German Eisheilige; compare French saints de glace.

Noun

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ice saints pl (normally plural, singular ice saint)

  1. (sometimes capitalized) The saints Pancras of Rome, Servatius of Tongeren, Mamertus of Vienne and/or Boniface of Tarsus, and sometimes Sophia of Rome, whose feast days are on May 11th though 15th.
  2. A spell of cold weather in May on or around those dates. (Compare blackthorn winter, blackberry winter.)